AIM Outreach Hosts a Summer Program for Kids
Shannon King, Charity Director
Ole Foundation strives tochange the world by improving the lives of others one at a time. We support organizations dedicated to improving the lives of others through unconditional love and servant leadership. One such amazing organization is AIM Outreach.
AIM Outreach is located in the small villageof Frazeysburg, nestled in the heart of Ohio.This cozy village was founded in 1828 along the historic Erie Canal and you can still drive down the original brick streets.
Frazeysburg is close to my heart. I grew up in a neighboring small community. I attended Junior High in a building that no longer exists, but was located across the parking lot of the old Elementary School where AIM is located today. My sister and I would ride our bikes six miles into town to spend our summer days at the local swimming pool. We marched down the streets playing our instruments in the parades and looked forward to the summer Homecoming festivities. I even held my first job at the Frazeysburg Dairy Queen.
With the downsizing of a major local company, this quaint little village fell onto hard times. Local resident, school teacher and part-time minister Jason Watson and his wife Anne noticed that the residents were in desperate need of help.The couple opened AIM Outreach, an independently operating branch of Last Call Outreach Ministries in Newark.
AIM Outreach serves a community funded food pantry and village outreach. The food bank provides clothing, dry foods, produce, meats, toiletries and cleaning supplies for families in need. AIM also offers community events for local families including a free summer program for the kids.
This year, the AIM Summer Kid’s Program is running every other Monday from June 12th to August 7th. Their summer of fun open to local children entering Kindergarten through 6th grade. The kids have had such a great time and the word is spreading! This year, their attendance has tripled in size and is growing each week!
Kids are busy with a variety of activities from 10:15am to 12:30pm. The day begins with a story relating to the day’s activity by a volunteering local teacher. The children are also encouraged to pick out a few stories to read at home. Next, is time for outdoor games and a special activity such as gardening, kids yoga, a kids pound-drumming workout, archery, canvas painting and even pizza making at a local pizza parlor. The kiddos end their day with a hot lunch provided by donors like Ole Foundation and local churches.
The summer program is providing so much fun and enrichment for these great kids who are just like me. Thank you so much to Jason, Anne, and the volunteers who have come together to support their community and to provide this wonderful program.
AIM Outreach is currently raising funds to purchase four basketball hoops to provide a fun and healthy place for the kids to get together and play throughout the summer. If you would like to make a donation, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/aim-outreach-hoops-4-the-burg
If you are interested in making a donation to support AIM Outreach you can contact them at (740) 258-8352 or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AIMoutreach/
AIM Outreach is a registered non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for your support.
*Photos by AIM Outreach